The Zealots Descend

Above; Logo for JMJ and the Pope's Visit

Below; The only pope i recognize: the Space Pope from Futurama

But after a while
you realize time flies.
And the best thing that you can do
is take whatever comes to you.
'Cuz time flies.

-Porcupine Tree

Wow. I need a break.

BTO

"It's part of Satan, I think, to say that this is 'gay.' It's anything but 'gay.'

-Michele Bachmann

Well, because of society, i've never heard a gay person telling me that being gay is a picnic. But part of Satan? We can't ever have that crazy bitch in the White House.

1 million zealots have descended on Madrid since Monday. They are here for JMJ (Spanish for World Youth Day) and the Pope. Spain's economy is currently locked in the garage with an SUV's engine running, but they are spending over 100m Euros for his visit. Madrid has paid for thousands of extra police.

Luckily most folks are on vacation, but they are taxing the hell out of the Metro system. They are rude and don't get out of the way of working people even when you ask them nicely. I asked one group twice to please move (in Spanish) while i was trying to leave the Metro. In the end, there was a big dope standing right in front of the door. These people, all wearing merchandise that says 'JMJ 2011' and orange hats had been getting on my nerves all day. When i reached to open the door the moron just stood and looked at me. So finally i said, "Get out of my way, you fuck!" The sweet thing about the word 'fuck' (besides its many uses as a verb, noun, adj. adv) is that everyone knows it. He quickly moved. "Oh, you understood that?," i said and walked out.

I hate zealots. I hate dumb asses. This dude was both.

American Laura was trying to work from her flat but her neighbors were blaring religious music. In the bathroom at Barclays yesterday, i heard people chanting "Viva la Papa (Long Live the Pope!,) to which i can only say "Are you fucking serious?"

He arrives manana, so i have an IV drip of vodka infused with garlic set to go when the Pope gets here (Michael Jackson's ex - doctor rigged it up for me.) I don't like the Pope and he certainly doesn't like me. The Rastafarians believe the Pope is the Anti-Christ. I'm on board with that. He, for some reason, thinks i am the Anti-Christ. Hey, i'm not the one who condones priests raping kids. I'm not the one who was a member of the Hitler Youth. I'm not the one who tells people not to use condoms in AIDS ridden Africa and on a planet with over 6 million people when ecologists agree we are using the world's resources at a rate of 1.5 earths. I'm not the one who denies gay people their rights. Need i continue?

I'm okay with him thinking i'm the Anti-Christ. No worries. Way better than being one of those mindless zealots chanting for the Pope and walking by homeless people lying in the street. And why the garlic, you ask? To ward off evil. The Catholic Church is about controlling people. It's about telling the poor and disenfranchised to shut the fuck up and accept their fate. In the Spanish Civil War, the Catholic Church sided with Franco and the rebels who overthrew a democratically elected government. They sided with the rich, the land owners, who when the people voted to redistribute wealth in a more just way said, "Fuck that."

I have no trouble with Christians. I just see less and less true ones. And the ones who tell you they are good ones have termites in their soul. But as an institution, the Catholic Church is evil, corrupt and mad. Truly bat shit mad.

It's been a really rough week, but I feel better now.